Legolas slowly opened his eyes, wincing as pain shot through his head. He
tried to get to his feet, but found that he was restrained by tight iron
chains around his wrists. Cursing, the Elf rested his head back against the
wall, gazing helplessly up at the manacles that held him there.
"Nothing works," said a low voice from next to him. "We have tried to get free, but clearly a key is needed."
"Aragorn? What...how...why...?" began Legolas hesitantly. "What's going on?"
The Ranger sighed, and gently kicked the Elf so as to let him know where he was. "I do not know. Everything happened so fast. One minute we were all resting, the next being pulled to our feet and having our hands bound and our eyes covered. We ended up here, but where it is I cannot say. Something tells me it is underground, though."
"And the others?" asked Legolas, not knowing how he wanted that question to be answered.
"Yes, we are all here," replied Gandalf. He too, had his hands chained above him, and needless to say the old Wizard was more than irritated.
Legolas closed his eyes for a brief moment, before re-opening them and scanning the dark room they were shut in. His sharp Elven sight caught the outlines of figures chained up at various places along the wall.
"You were the only one they chose to hurt," said Boromir softly. "We tried to fight, but they were too many. And we could not see what was going on, for it all came as a surprise."
"Yes, well it would do," replied Legolas, his voice somewhat bitter. "They are Elves.
From somewhere in the corner of the room, came the gruff voice of Gimli, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "Confounded Elves. Should've known that they were the doing of all this."
"So that explains why you didn't hear them," said Aragorn, although he still found that notion slightly strange. After all, Legolas was Elf-kind.
"No, I should've heard them," said Legolas shortly. "I wasn't concentrating on what I was supposed to be doing, and that was making sure that all of you were safe. If I had been more focused on the task to which I had been appointed, we would not be here now."
"We do not hold you at fault," reassured Aragorn. Although the room was dark, he could tell that Legolas had fixed cold eyes upon him. However, he was spared from saying anything else, by the door being thrown open and slamming against the wall.
A slender figure entered, hooded and cloaked. With him came a sense of coldness, sweeping chillingly through the room and over all of the prisoners. "This is an interesting collection I have here," he said softly. "A Wizard, two men, a Dwarf and four Hobbits. Very strange indeed. But also, there is an Elf. In fact, it is none other than Prince Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood. Such an honour to have you."
"Who are you?" demanded Boromir, struggling against his chains. "And why are you holding us here?"
"You men are always so impatient," said the stranger, in a voice far from enthusiastic. "My race knows how to wait though, and that is precisely what I myself have been doing for many years. You see-
"Who are you?" asked Legolas in wonder. Though somewhere in his mind, distant and vague recognition that he could not place, was flickering.
The dark stranger arched an eyebrow behind the hood that covered his face, and slowly shook his head. "Now Legolas, I am sure your father taught you better than to interrupt. Or was there a lack of discipline at the palace after your brother left? I suspect so."
"What do you know about that?" hissed Legolas, his eyes flashing silver in the darkness.
Wordlessly, the stranger moved along the wall, lighting numerous candles and lights. After what seemed an age to all the captives, he stood in front of them, smiled grimly, and threw back his cloak and hood.
Sharp breaths were drawn from both Aragorn and Gandalf, but Legolas stared up at his captor for a brief moment, before inhaling deeply, and leaning his head back against the wall. It could not be...not now, not after all these years. But the dark hair, green eyes...everything. It was Calaen.
"This is just a dream...no, a nightmare that I have not yet awoken from," said the Prince quietly.
"What a rare occurrence. Perfect Legolas only got one out of two today," laughed Calaen. Shaking his head in amusement, he knelt next to the younger Elf, and gently turned his face upwards. "I'm afraid that you are, in fact, already awake. This is all happening...*gwador."
"No," breathed Legolas, looking up and locking his blue eyes with green ones.
"Yes," said the other Elf in hushed tones. Without warning, he reached down and roughly grabbed the front of Legolas' tunic, not once lowering his malicious gaze. "You were right about one thing though; this *is* a nightmare, one that you will never wake from."
"Release us!" commanded Gandalf.
"I would gladly release your good self and the others. But if I did that, you would surely go to Thranduil and tell him who I have here. I do not want that, for after so many years apart from my younger brother, I have now been re-united with him," said Calaen, feigning happiness.
Legolas flinched and jerked his head away, as a slender hand was trailed gently down his cheek. "I should've killed you when I had the chance all those years back."
"Ah, but you didn't," said Calaen quietly. "You tried to though, and that was where you made a serious mistake. Never will I forget what you did to me, Legolas, and never will I forgive you. Now, I will wait a few days before sending a message to Thranduil, telling him what it is that I want."
With that, Calaen clapped Legolas on the shoulder in a friendly, brotherly way, got to his feet, and went across to the door. He did not even cast a look to the others, and it was only a small voice that halted him.
"Why are you keeping us here?" asked Frodo softly. "We have done nothing to. Will you at least tell us where we are? And what do you want from Thranduil?"
"Patience," replied Calaen distantly. He flashed Legolas a malevolent smile, then left as swiftly as he had entered.
Quietness descended on the room, and Legolas lowered his gaze to the floor, stunned at what had just taken place. Over in the corner, Pippin stifled a sob, wishing that he was back in Rivendell. Even better, the Shire.
"I think you need to explain a little something to us," said Boromir, his voice sounding harsh in the tense silence.
Legolas sighed, still unable to believe it. "That was my older brother, Calaen. He is...well, there is something wrong with him."
"He is unbalanced," said Aragorn sharply. "One could even go so far as to call him insane, maybe even possessed by some dark force that caused him to act the way he did."
"But I thought you said that you had no brothers," said Frodo in confusion.
Exhaling deeply, Legolas closed his eyes in despair, for he knew that his past would now be revealed. For so many years, he had worked hard to keep his secrets hidden. It was all for nothing, apparently. The question preying on his mind now, was what the others would say when they found out.
"*Avo 'osto, Legolas," said Aragorn quietly.
The Elf swallowed, perspiration already on his forehead as the memories came flashing back. "Alright. When I was an Elfling, my mother was killed. It was partly my fault, but there was nothing I could do to save her. After that, Calaen blamed and turned against me. He did everything to make my life a living hell, then one day, my father went to Rivendell for some meeting or other. You know, I have only just realised that I never did find out what it was about."
"Peace treaties or something like that, if I remember correctly," said Aragorn. "Elladan and Elrohir used to eavesdrop a lot on important meetings."
"Hmm. Anyway, my eldest brother, Airëlus, rode after my father that day because...because I pushed Calaen down some stone steps. It was not intentional though; all I wanted was to get him away. He was not hurt, despite the pretence, and when Airëlus was away from the palace, Calaen went to great pains, telling all the servants and various advisors not to come near our rooms. Eventually, he drugged me and held me captive for...however many days," said Legolas, shuddering as he remembered the fear he had felt, the abuse – both mental and physical – that had been thrown at him.
*You agreed to play the games, so you must abide by the rules.*
*Daro!*
*But how long before you break? When will you cry for me?*
*Please.*
*Murderer!*
"Legolas, are you alright?" asked Aragorn softly, as he heard the Elf draw in a sharp breath and quickly let it out again.
"I was just remembering," replied Legolas. Sighing, he prepared to continue with his tale of horror, when the door opened again.
Instead of Calaen, two Elven guards entered and went straight across to Legolas, one of the pulling a bunch of keys from his belt. The manacles around Legolas' wrists were unlocked, and as soon as he was free, the Prince jumped to his feet, ready to take on both guards. They were too quick for him, though.
"Where are you taking him?" demanded Aragorn, struggling against his own chains as Legolas swiftly had his hands tied behind his back.
"Prince Calaen wishes to see him," replied one of the guards, a fair haired Elf who went by the name of Tolvanir.
His companion, Garilion, grabbed Legolas by the hair, forcing him to look up. The younger Elf hissed and tried to jerk his head away, but Garilion merely held him tighter. Tolvanir, meanwhile, was busy fiddling with something, out of view from the others.
"Hurry up," hissed Garilion, shooting his companion a furious look. "This one won't stop struggling, and Prince Calaen will not thank us for keeping him waiting."
"I'm going as fast as I can," muttered Tolvanir. He looked up at Garilion, and his face darkened as he saw how Legolas fought, despite his hands being bound. Without saying another word, Tolvanir stepped forward and brought his hand crashing down upon the younger Elf's face.
Legolas only just stopped himself from crying out as an excruciating pain tore like fire, through his right cheek. He had been expecting just a casual slap from the guard, but this was far from it. He could feel that his normally flawless skin had been ripped to shreds, and blood fell lightly to the ground.
"Now, you will keep calm or have the same decoration on the other side of your face," threatened Tolvanir.
"What have you done to him?" hissed Aragorn, not once pausing in his desperate attempt to escape the chains that held him to the wall.
Tolvanir lifted the hand with which he had struck Legolas, and in it was loosely held a collar, made from iron and adorned with cruel spikes at intervals along it. No wonder it had caused so much damage to Legolas' face. Smirking at the expressions of horror and anger that the Fellowship wore, Tolvanir stepped forwards and sharply fixed it around Legolas' throat. The Prince made a low growling noise, eyes glinting in anger, pain forgotten, as a length of cord was looped through a hole in the collar.
"Don't try and fight," said Aragorn desperately, as Legolas made to jump forwards. "Do not make this worse for yourself."
"You would do well to listen to your friend's advice," laughed Garilion, grabbing the cord, and tugging harshly on it.
Aragorn made a noise of outrage as he saw Legolas being pulled unwillingly. In the process of Garilion tugging on the cord, vicious spikes had dug into Legolas' skin, giving him no option but to move. Everyone knew that without the collar, he would've stood and fought for as long as possible.
"Fear not, little Halfling," said Tolvanir, feigning compassion as he walked past Pippin, who had silent tears of horror and fear rolling down his cheeks. "Your friend will be back here soon enough. Though, I cannot say what his condition will be."
With that, Garilion laughed cruelly and pulled Legolas from the room, Tolvanir following a little way behind. As the door was shut once more, Aragorn slammed his bound wrists back against the wall, letting out a yell of anger as he did so.
"We must do something to help him," said Sam helplessly, resting his head against his shoulder, so that the tears which fell would remain un-noticed.
"And what do you propose we do?" asked Gimli in exasperation. "I think that I have made it clear my feelings about most Elves, but I still have no wish to see *anything* happen to Legolas. However, there is nothing we can do whilst chained up in here."
Sighing deeply, Gandalf rested his head back against the wall. "Much as I do not want to agree with Gimli at the moment, I have to. It pains me to think of what could be happening to Legolas, but we must wait. Keep praying for him."
............................................................................................................
*gwador.................Brother *Avo 'osto..............Don't worry
Rachel13: Yeah, I'm not the biggest fan of George Bush either. Well, I wouldn't read that folder if I were you. It might tell you something like I'm gonna kill Legolas in this story. Did I just say that? Oops. No, I'm kidding :)
Sadistra: Maybe he dyed his hair! LOL
Legolas-gurl888: Hiya! I've just been on that website you told me about and I haven't found that clip yet. But I'm still looking through all the others! I'm gonna e-mail you later.
I'm so sorry for that evil cliffie last night, and I'm really really really really REALLY sorry for this one today as well. Please don't kill me. Or at least wait until the story is over before hunting me down? Thanks. Anyways, see you tomorrow, Luv Misto x-x
"Nothing works," said a low voice from next to him. "We have tried to get free, but clearly a key is needed."
"Aragorn? What...how...why...?" began Legolas hesitantly. "What's going on?"
The Ranger sighed, and gently kicked the Elf so as to let him know where he was. "I do not know. Everything happened so fast. One minute we were all resting, the next being pulled to our feet and having our hands bound and our eyes covered. We ended up here, but where it is I cannot say. Something tells me it is underground, though."
"And the others?" asked Legolas, not knowing how he wanted that question to be answered.
"Yes, we are all here," replied Gandalf. He too, had his hands chained above him, and needless to say the old Wizard was more than irritated.
Legolas closed his eyes for a brief moment, before re-opening them and scanning the dark room they were shut in. His sharp Elven sight caught the outlines of figures chained up at various places along the wall.
"You were the only one they chose to hurt," said Boromir softly. "We tried to fight, but they were too many. And we could not see what was going on, for it all came as a surprise."
"Yes, well it would do," replied Legolas, his voice somewhat bitter. "They are Elves.
From somewhere in the corner of the room, came the gruff voice of Gimli, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "Confounded Elves. Should've known that they were the doing of all this."
"So that explains why you didn't hear them," said Aragorn, although he still found that notion slightly strange. After all, Legolas was Elf-kind.
"No, I should've heard them," said Legolas shortly. "I wasn't concentrating on what I was supposed to be doing, and that was making sure that all of you were safe. If I had been more focused on the task to which I had been appointed, we would not be here now."
"We do not hold you at fault," reassured Aragorn. Although the room was dark, he could tell that Legolas had fixed cold eyes upon him. However, he was spared from saying anything else, by the door being thrown open and slamming against the wall.
A slender figure entered, hooded and cloaked. With him came a sense of coldness, sweeping chillingly through the room and over all of the prisoners. "This is an interesting collection I have here," he said softly. "A Wizard, two men, a Dwarf and four Hobbits. Very strange indeed. But also, there is an Elf. In fact, it is none other than Prince Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood. Such an honour to have you."
"Who are you?" demanded Boromir, struggling against his chains. "And why are you holding us here?"
"You men are always so impatient," said the stranger, in a voice far from enthusiastic. "My race knows how to wait though, and that is precisely what I myself have been doing for many years. You see-
"Who are you?" asked Legolas in wonder. Though somewhere in his mind, distant and vague recognition that he could not place, was flickering.
The dark stranger arched an eyebrow behind the hood that covered his face, and slowly shook his head. "Now Legolas, I am sure your father taught you better than to interrupt. Or was there a lack of discipline at the palace after your brother left? I suspect so."
"What do you know about that?" hissed Legolas, his eyes flashing silver in the darkness.
Wordlessly, the stranger moved along the wall, lighting numerous candles and lights. After what seemed an age to all the captives, he stood in front of them, smiled grimly, and threw back his cloak and hood.
Sharp breaths were drawn from both Aragorn and Gandalf, but Legolas stared up at his captor for a brief moment, before inhaling deeply, and leaning his head back against the wall. It could not be...not now, not after all these years. But the dark hair, green eyes...everything. It was Calaen.
"This is just a dream...no, a nightmare that I have not yet awoken from," said the Prince quietly.
"What a rare occurrence. Perfect Legolas only got one out of two today," laughed Calaen. Shaking his head in amusement, he knelt next to the younger Elf, and gently turned his face upwards. "I'm afraid that you are, in fact, already awake. This is all happening...*gwador."
"No," breathed Legolas, looking up and locking his blue eyes with green ones.
"Yes," said the other Elf in hushed tones. Without warning, he reached down and roughly grabbed the front of Legolas' tunic, not once lowering his malicious gaze. "You were right about one thing though; this *is* a nightmare, one that you will never wake from."
"Release us!" commanded Gandalf.
"I would gladly release your good self and the others. But if I did that, you would surely go to Thranduil and tell him who I have here. I do not want that, for after so many years apart from my younger brother, I have now been re-united with him," said Calaen, feigning happiness.
Legolas flinched and jerked his head away, as a slender hand was trailed gently down his cheek. "I should've killed you when I had the chance all those years back."
"Ah, but you didn't," said Calaen quietly. "You tried to though, and that was where you made a serious mistake. Never will I forget what you did to me, Legolas, and never will I forgive you. Now, I will wait a few days before sending a message to Thranduil, telling him what it is that I want."
With that, Calaen clapped Legolas on the shoulder in a friendly, brotherly way, got to his feet, and went across to the door. He did not even cast a look to the others, and it was only a small voice that halted him.
"Why are you keeping us here?" asked Frodo softly. "We have done nothing to. Will you at least tell us where we are? And what do you want from Thranduil?"
"Patience," replied Calaen distantly. He flashed Legolas a malevolent smile, then left as swiftly as he had entered.
Quietness descended on the room, and Legolas lowered his gaze to the floor, stunned at what had just taken place. Over in the corner, Pippin stifled a sob, wishing that he was back in Rivendell. Even better, the Shire.
"I think you need to explain a little something to us," said Boromir, his voice sounding harsh in the tense silence.
Legolas sighed, still unable to believe it. "That was my older brother, Calaen. He is...well, there is something wrong with him."
"He is unbalanced," said Aragorn sharply. "One could even go so far as to call him insane, maybe even possessed by some dark force that caused him to act the way he did."
"But I thought you said that you had no brothers," said Frodo in confusion.
Exhaling deeply, Legolas closed his eyes in despair, for he knew that his past would now be revealed. For so many years, he had worked hard to keep his secrets hidden. It was all for nothing, apparently. The question preying on his mind now, was what the others would say when they found out.
"*Avo 'osto, Legolas," said Aragorn quietly.
The Elf swallowed, perspiration already on his forehead as the memories came flashing back. "Alright. When I was an Elfling, my mother was killed. It was partly my fault, but there was nothing I could do to save her. After that, Calaen blamed and turned against me. He did everything to make my life a living hell, then one day, my father went to Rivendell for some meeting or other. You know, I have only just realised that I never did find out what it was about."
"Peace treaties or something like that, if I remember correctly," said Aragorn. "Elladan and Elrohir used to eavesdrop a lot on important meetings."
"Hmm. Anyway, my eldest brother, Airëlus, rode after my father that day because...because I pushed Calaen down some stone steps. It was not intentional though; all I wanted was to get him away. He was not hurt, despite the pretence, and when Airëlus was away from the palace, Calaen went to great pains, telling all the servants and various advisors not to come near our rooms. Eventually, he drugged me and held me captive for...however many days," said Legolas, shuddering as he remembered the fear he had felt, the abuse – both mental and physical – that had been thrown at him.
*You agreed to play the games, so you must abide by the rules.*
*Daro!*
*But how long before you break? When will you cry for me?*
*Please.*
*Murderer!*
"Legolas, are you alright?" asked Aragorn softly, as he heard the Elf draw in a sharp breath and quickly let it out again.
"I was just remembering," replied Legolas. Sighing, he prepared to continue with his tale of horror, when the door opened again.
Instead of Calaen, two Elven guards entered and went straight across to Legolas, one of the pulling a bunch of keys from his belt. The manacles around Legolas' wrists were unlocked, and as soon as he was free, the Prince jumped to his feet, ready to take on both guards. They were too quick for him, though.
"Where are you taking him?" demanded Aragorn, struggling against his own chains as Legolas swiftly had his hands tied behind his back.
"Prince Calaen wishes to see him," replied one of the guards, a fair haired Elf who went by the name of Tolvanir.
His companion, Garilion, grabbed Legolas by the hair, forcing him to look up. The younger Elf hissed and tried to jerk his head away, but Garilion merely held him tighter. Tolvanir, meanwhile, was busy fiddling with something, out of view from the others.
"Hurry up," hissed Garilion, shooting his companion a furious look. "This one won't stop struggling, and Prince Calaen will not thank us for keeping him waiting."
"I'm going as fast as I can," muttered Tolvanir. He looked up at Garilion, and his face darkened as he saw how Legolas fought, despite his hands being bound. Without saying another word, Tolvanir stepped forward and brought his hand crashing down upon the younger Elf's face.
Legolas only just stopped himself from crying out as an excruciating pain tore like fire, through his right cheek. He had been expecting just a casual slap from the guard, but this was far from it. He could feel that his normally flawless skin had been ripped to shreds, and blood fell lightly to the ground.
"Now, you will keep calm or have the same decoration on the other side of your face," threatened Tolvanir.
"What have you done to him?" hissed Aragorn, not once pausing in his desperate attempt to escape the chains that held him to the wall.
Tolvanir lifted the hand with which he had struck Legolas, and in it was loosely held a collar, made from iron and adorned with cruel spikes at intervals along it. No wonder it had caused so much damage to Legolas' face. Smirking at the expressions of horror and anger that the Fellowship wore, Tolvanir stepped forwards and sharply fixed it around Legolas' throat. The Prince made a low growling noise, eyes glinting in anger, pain forgotten, as a length of cord was looped through a hole in the collar.
"Don't try and fight," said Aragorn desperately, as Legolas made to jump forwards. "Do not make this worse for yourself."
"You would do well to listen to your friend's advice," laughed Garilion, grabbing the cord, and tugging harshly on it.
Aragorn made a noise of outrage as he saw Legolas being pulled unwillingly. In the process of Garilion tugging on the cord, vicious spikes had dug into Legolas' skin, giving him no option but to move. Everyone knew that without the collar, he would've stood and fought for as long as possible.
"Fear not, little Halfling," said Tolvanir, feigning compassion as he walked past Pippin, who had silent tears of horror and fear rolling down his cheeks. "Your friend will be back here soon enough. Though, I cannot say what his condition will be."
With that, Garilion laughed cruelly and pulled Legolas from the room, Tolvanir following a little way behind. As the door was shut once more, Aragorn slammed his bound wrists back against the wall, letting out a yell of anger as he did so.
"We must do something to help him," said Sam helplessly, resting his head against his shoulder, so that the tears which fell would remain un-noticed.
"And what do you propose we do?" asked Gimli in exasperation. "I think that I have made it clear my feelings about most Elves, but I still have no wish to see *anything* happen to Legolas. However, there is nothing we can do whilst chained up in here."
Sighing deeply, Gandalf rested his head back against the wall. "Much as I do not want to agree with Gimli at the moment, I have to. It pains me to think of what could be happening to Legolas, but we must wait. Keep praying for him."
............................................................................................................
*gwador.................Brother *Avo 'osto..............Don't worry
Rachel13: Yeah, I'm not the biggest fan of George Bush either. Well, I wouldn't read that folder if I were you. It might tell you something like I'm gonna kill Legolas in this story. Did I just say that? Oops. No, I'm kidding :)
Sadistra: Maybe he dyed his hair! LOL
Legolas-gurl888: Hiya! I've just been on that website you told me about and I haven't found that clip yet. But I'm still looking through all the others! I'm gonna e-mail you later.
I'm so sorry for that evil cliffie last night, and I'm really really really really REALLY sorry for this one today as well. Please don't kill me. Or at least wait until the story is over before hunting me down? Thanks. Anyways, see you tomorrow, Luv Misto x-x